SUV Review: 2018 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman All4 (2024)

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There’s something odd about describing any Mini as versatile. I’ve used fun, cute, sporty, zippy and charming as descriptors in the past. But “versatile” seems antithesis to the brand; it’s a kind of catchall that can be applied to just about any mainstream vehicle beyond a sports car or convertible. And Minis are not ordinary, nor are they mainstream. This is especially true of the Countryman, notably the John Cooper Works (JCW) All4, its most performance-oriented version.

Yet, thanks to its increased dimensions, there is much more versatility to the four-door Countryman, the biggest model in Mini’s lineup. Of course, the weasel clause is that this is versatility when compared with other Minis; it’s a harder sell when up against the crossover’s competition.

The JCW Countryman All4 is about 200 millimetres longer, 30 millimetres wider and has a wheelbase extension of 75 millimetres over its predecessor, offering some legitimacy for being called a family vehicle. Heck, even an NBA player could fit in the rear — as long as that player is Isaiah Thomas and not Jonas Valanciunas. The luggage compartment can also be expanded as required from 450 litres to as much as 1,390 litres. With the rear seats down, I stashed four winter tires in the back without breaking a sweat.

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Size-wise, the Countryman tends to be slotted in with the likes of the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Kia Soul and about another 10 “tall hatches” and small crossovers. Price-wise ($38,890 to start) and power-wise, though, it’s duking it out with a very different set of vehicles. Interestingly, it is a close relative, maybe even a fraternal twin, to BMW’s X1. Both are built on the same UKL2 platform and the JCW shares identical 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines and eight-speed automatic transmissions.

This means there’s plenty of punch at the driver’s beck and call (zero to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, according to Mini), thanks to 228 horsepower and a substantial 258 pound-feet of torque starting at a low 1,450 rpm. Keep in mind though; this is a crossover. It will show its back bumper to the likes of a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 all day long. Against one its own brethren, such as the three-door Mini Cooper JCW, the Countryman is more ungainly, the doughy-looking ute weighing in at a rather unflattering — for a Mini product — 1,657 kilograms (though it’s still 20 kilograms lighter than the X1). That’s not to say it won’t show you a good time … but more on that later.

As a family-oriented runabout, the maxi Mini is decidedly rambunctious — especially when compared with the more formal X1 — aided and abetted by copious John Cooper Works mechanical and body bits. The serious performance stuff, other than the engine, includes a sport exhaust, an upgraded sports suspension with standard 18-inch alloy wheels and Brembo brakes. Cosmetically, added exterior body features highlight the vehicle’s jaunty credentials, as well as improving the crossover’s aerodynamic properties.

There’s also a toggle at the base of the centre console to activate the settings Sport, Mid and Green. Flicking the setting to Sport from Mid (the default) awakens the vehicle’s inner beast, complete with a far more sonorous tone from the twin exhausts — and hooligan-like snaps, crackles and pops on the downshifts.

Still, like the X1, the JCW Countryman’s true forte is handling. Yes, it’s the least nimble of the Mini brand, but it’s still pretty good, with a low centre of gravity, wide track and all the benefits of a tight, well-tuned sport suspension. The speed-sensitive steering provides excellent feel in the turns and at lower speeds, such as when manoeuvring into a parking space.

The available dynamic stability control system — a $500 option — also ensures optimum traction when hooning about. Its functions include dynamic traction control, electronic differential lock control — which acts as an electronic locking function for the front axle differential — and “performance control” for added confidence when cornering at less than prudent speeds. Curiously, the Countryman doesn’t feel as choppy over rougher surfaces as the X1, which I put down to the Mini wearing higher-profile (P225/50R18) winter tires rather than the swapped-out and optional P225/35R19 performance run-flats it would be shod with during the milder months.

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Inside the Countryman there are five full-fledged seats, the two up front featuring integrated headrests. As for going three-wide in the back — good luck with that! And, appropriately, a JCW sports steering wheel with multi-function buttons, JCW shifter and a roof liner in anthracite. Anyone who has spent time in any Mini car will find the cabin layout familiar — large, round gauges, round buttons and controls, overhead toggles switches — though newbies tend to think it as funky/cool. Standard features include the Mini Connected infotainment system with 6.5-inch high-resolution display (an 8.8-inch is optional), rear park distance control, automatic headlights, parking sensors and a rear-view camera with guidelines.

The pricey ($750) but handy head-up display presents a variety of information, including road speed, speed limits, navigation directions and “check control” messages, feedback from the driver assistance systems, telephone contacts and entertainment controls. The head-up display also features a specific JCW mode where it is also possible to display the currently selected gear and a multi-coloured engine speed scale.

Clearly the Countryman is a non-conformist among its larger, more mainstream competition, exploiting Mini’s much vaunted performance and handling bona fides. The John Cooper Works version merely ramps up the sportiness to max, which makes it a hoot on tarmac, but limits even further any pretense as an off-roader. Still, for those willing to overlook its compromises, it’s a fun ride — for a crossover.